Notes / Commercial Description:
This thick, black, Imperial Stout was aged for 4 months in port wine barrels that were used as a second finish for Angel’s Envy Bourbon. Dark fruit, coffee, chocolate, caramel, and bourbon combine for a warming experience.

Reviews by Treebs:

A: Pours a pitch black color with a dark tan head forming on the pour. It recedes quickly leaving behind some splotchy lace.

S: Bourbon upfront with some oak characteristics. A little heavier on the oak, but it's complemented with some roasted malts, dark chocolate and a little dark fruit. As it warms up some more port like flavors come out from the second use casks this was aged in.

T: Again, bourbon is upfront and in your business upon each sip. It is very smooth though and gives way to some heavier oak, roasted malts and some milk chocolate. Slightly astringent as well as it teeters on the boozy and oaky side. A little warmth on the back end with some light port flavors as it warms up.

Reviewing Angel's Envy Port Barrel Aged Acrimonious Imperial Stout from Haymarket Pub & Brewery out of Chicago, Illinois. The Acrimonious is the third beer from the right in the picture. Per the beer's description:

"This thick, black, Imperial Stout was aged for 4 months in port wine barrels that were used as a second finish for Angel’s Envy Bourbon. Dark fruit, coffee, chocolate, caramel, and bourbon combine for a warming experience."

Score: 87

4 oz sample served in a taster glass and enjoyed at Haymarket's 2nd Anniversary Party on 01/12/12. Review is from iPhone notes.

Appearance: Pours the appearance of a traditional barrel aged stout. Dark brown, maybe black in color with a foggy, film-thin layer of tan head when brought to the table. Decent lacing/retention. 4/5

Appearance: The beer pours black and looks thick like oil. There is hardly any head at all.

Smell: Sweet and full of roast and dark chocolate. I'm getting a hint of bourbon and some soy sauce that I would think comes from the port.

Taste: This is a very sweet beer that has some heat to it, but still manages to be smooth. The port is definitely there and I'm getting a hint of soy sauce as well. Just a touch of bourbon. The finish is sweet and warming.

Mouthfeel: The body is very thick and the beer coats your mouth. Tingly carbonation and a dry finish.

Overall: This is a very thick and sweet beer. Very complex, I kept finding new things to like about it. I'd definitely have more given the chance.

An imperial stout aged for five months in Angel's Envy Port casks (meaning the barrel held port, then bourbon, then the stout)? Get some! This stuff pours a straight obsidian topped by a half-finger of tan foam. The nose comprises roasted malts, toasted oak, light cocoa powder, and whiskey. The taste brings in more of the same, along with some chocolate syrup and a hint (possibly psychosomatic, admittedly) of port-like grapes. The body is a hefty medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a lightly chewy feel. Overall, a very tasty brew, one that melds very nicely with the exotic barrel (even if that barrel didn't impart all that much of the port to the proceedings).